1. Field of the Invention
The present invention belongs to a technical field of an information reproduction apparatus and method for reproducing information such as audio or video using an information recording medium such as high density optical disc capable of recording information such as voice or image represented by DVD with high density.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, so called CD (Compact Disc), LD (Laser Disc) and the like are well employed in general as optical discs having information such as voice or image recorded therein.
In these CDs and the like, voice information and image information are recorded together with time information indicating a time at which respective items of information should be reproduced when a reproduction start position that each CD or the like has is defined as a reference. Thus, it is possible not only to cause general normal reproduction in which recorded information is reproduced in the recorded order, but also to extract and listen to only a desired music number of a plurality of recorded music numbers or to listen to the music number by randomly changing the reproduction order in a CD, for example.
Voice information and image information in a recording apparatus or reproduction apparatus for such CD or LD is handled in units of audio frames or video frames during recording, editing, and reproducing, and can be accessed in units of these frames.
In addition, in the CD or LD, it is possible to execute variable speed reproduction such as fast feed reproduction or slow reproduction is possible. Further, it is possible to speedily search a desired reproduction point or to carefully observe a desired reproduction point.
In the conventional apparatus, however, although a reproduction point is searched speedily, in the case where repetitive reproduction is specified at a predetermined reproduction interval during continuous reproduction of a dynamic image, the time required for the search is a sufficient time to lose continuity of the dynamic image. Therefore, in the case where repetitive reproduction is specified at a predetermined reproduction interval, there has been a problem that reproduction of the dynamic image is interrupted because of searching the repetitive reproduction start position.
In addition, a conventional repetitive reproduction start position is always set at the head of GOP. Thus, there has been a problem that displacement occurs between a user's desired repetitive reproduction position and an actually repetitively reproduced position. In order to solve this problem, it has been necessary to store an elapsed reproduction time when a repeat instruction is issued, and perform pseudo reproduction processing from the head of GOP to the elapsed reproduction time. Thus, there has been a problem that more time is required for reproduction.